This invention relates generally to multimode electronic timepieces having audible alarms. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved program for altering an alarm sounding setting displayed in a first mode when the timepiece is currently displaying a second mode.
Multimode, multifunction wristwatches (or wrist instruments) are known which include a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a number of manually actuated switches and an integrated circuit programmed in a preselected sequence. Examples of such watches are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,773--Houlihan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,864--Houlihan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,784--Horan, all of the foregoing being assigned to the present assignee. In the foregoing patents, which are merely exemplary of multimode electronic wrist instruments or multifunction wristwatches, one of the manual actuators may typically serve to repetitively cycle the instrument through a number of modes or operating states in each of which a different type of information is displayed. Such modes may include, in a multifunction watch, the time of day, chronograph, dual time zone, elapsed time and an alarm setting mode. By special preselected actuation of one of the switches, the wristwatch may be further converted into a computer, a speedometer, pulsometer or any other type of device, subject only to the imagination of the designer and programmer of the integrated circuit. While in any of these modes, another manual switch actuator may be employed to change the information being displayed in that mode or state, such as initiating the chronograph timing or setting the time-of-day or setting the alarm time or performing a calculation.
A problem existing in multimode electronic timepieces with audible alarms is that very often the audible alarm will sound when the timepiece is operating in a different mode. For example, a multimode electronic wristwatch often has an alarm setting mode, in which a desired alarm time is set by manually actuating one or more switches or pushbuttons to set a desired time for the audible alarm to sound. The time of the alarm setting is displayed while in the alarm setting mode. Also, there is commonly a provision for "arming" or "disarming" the alarm while in the alarm setting mode. However, when the alarm sounds, the watch may be displaying current time in the time of day mode. The user may wish to disable the alarm or to reset it to new time. In order to do this, it is necessary to sequence the watch through the various available operating modes to the alarm setting mode, then to either disable or to reset the alarm, and then to sequence the watch back to the time of day mode, or whatever mode the watch was displaying when the alarm sounded.
The same problem exists in the case of an elapsed time mode where an elapsed time is set by manually actuating one or more switches so that the alarm control device will cause an audible alarm to sound after the elapsed time has counted down to zero. However, when the alarm sounds, the watch may be operating in a different mode. If it is desired to reset the elapsed time or to alter the elapsed time, it is necessary to exit the mode in which the watch is operating, sequence through the various modes to perform the necessary alterations, and then to reenter the current operating mode.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved program for altering the alarm setting in a multimode alarm timepiece.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method for automatically leaving the current mode to the mode displaying the alarm sounding setting so as to permit an alteration in the alarm sounding setting and then returning to the previous operating mode.